Hogwarts

Hogwarts. Hannah Abbott stood somewhere halfway between the top of the mountain and Hogsmeade and looked at the castle she had once called her second home. As long as she could remember it had been there, standing proud and tall, and she knew that it was actually much older than that. It was built out of solid stone that wouldn't disappear because of little inconveniences like the storm the day before that had nearly destroyed her carefully planted flowers if she hadn't been luckily enough to find a charm to protect them just in time. No, Hogwarts was strong and so, so old and wise. It housed great wizards like Albus Dumbledore or Harry Potter – or even Merlin himself! And Hannah knew that there would be more to come as the centuries would pass, changing everything and leaving behind only the castle that stood atop the cliffs, watching the world in its endless change without ever changing herself.

Or so it seemed. But Hannah knew that true. Time changed everything and not even the mighty form of Hogwarts could stop it. At the Battle of Hogwarts big parts of the castle were destroyed and the only reason she could still watch it in its mighty appearance was because many people had voluntary worked together to bring Hogwarts back to her old proud self. Though it had been hard work, they had finally reached their goal and Hogwarts turned back into the old school everyone loved. But something had changed. New students wandering through the corridors often asked the older ones why there were parts of the castle that didn't seem as ancient as others, or so she had heard. Even from afar, if you decided to look for it, you could still see part of the damage. It wasn't the same castle that she had entered for the first time as an overeager but very scared eleven-year-old anymore, but she wasn't the same young and innocent Hannah either. She turned 34 just a few weeks ago and had already finished her studies as a healer as well as worked at St. Mungos for a few years. And she didn't apparate to this place to wallow in her memories but to see Hogwarts in all of its beauty before the castle might become her second home once again. Not the old Hogwarts though, which had been a castle of studies, but also friends and adventures in her childhood days, but the new one, where she would work as a healer starting from this day on.

Hannah began her descent, following the path where she'd shared her first kiss with Ernie Macmillan. Now he was happily married with Susan, if she could believe the rumors she'd heard. She passed the tree in whose shadows Susan, Amanda and she had sworn to let their friendship last forever. But time went by and they parted ways. She reached Hogsmeade and the Hog's Head where Dumbledore's Army was founded. Not too far away was a subsidiary of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Once there was Zonko's Joke Shop but George Weasley bought that a few years ago. The Three Broomsticks looked just like it did when she was still a student, though. It was still early morning, so next to nobody was in the pub, but Hannah could already smell some food being cooked as she passed the part of the house where she knew the kitchen was situated. The post office with the most owls in all of Great Britain had moved and was now resided just next to the Three Broomsticks. The picture of a young Gryffindor came to her mind. Every Hogsmeade weekend he'd always stand in front of the shop and watch all those birds for hours and hours on end because he himself was only allowed a toad by his grandmother. If he had one now? Shaking her head Hannah continued her path towards the train station of Hogsmeade, where one of her new colleagues would pick her up.

As she reached the station she saw a man already standing on the platform next to the rails, seeming to wait. She didn't see the man's face as his back was turned but Hannah guessed that he would have to be around her age.

"Uh, excuse me if I'm a bit late", Hannah said as she reached the man. "I just revelled a bit in my memories so I kinda lost track of the time."

The person next to the rails didn't turn around. "I too did", he answered. "So much has happened here. So much greatness, so much horribleness …" The man turned his head a bit so that he was able to look at Hannah. "But I wouldn't miss these times for the world." He smiled. "It's nice meeting you again, Hannah."

Her eyes widened. "Neville! What are you doing here?"

He laughed and Hannah had to ask herself what had happened with the scared, little boy. "I'm picking you up, what else would you think?"

"You're working here? Really? As a teacher?"

"Well, yeah", he answered, grinning slightly. "I became Herbology teacher when Professor Sprout retired."

"But that's great!" Now she too was smiling. "Then we will be working together. Did someone else we know become a teacher too?"

"Well, there's Nathalie McDonald, though her name's Nathalie Corner now. She's teaching Transfiguration. Do you remember her?"

"Of course I do! She was the little girl we saved from drowning, back when she still was a first year and tried to do some ice skating on the Great Lake!"

"Yeah, exactly", Neville confirmed her statement. "I'd always asked myself since what she was doing on the ice."

"She did some ice skating. That's something Muggles do in winter. They try to …"

For some reason Neville stopped laughing and his face fell. "I know what Muggles do in winter", he said. "I had a girlfriend that was a muggle."

"Was?", Hannah asked. "What happened? Why –?"

"She died", Neville said before she could continue asking her questions. "Car accident. In front of my eyes."

"Oh." Hannah got quiet. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be, it's not your fault or did you drive the truck? I wouldn't know as he failed to stop after the accident and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement takes no interest in 'Muggle affairs'. Well, this is something that hasn't changed in the last few years." He laughed but there was no joy in it. After a few moments he stopped and tried to get back to his cheerful self, though it looked more like a mask than real, now that Hannah had seen what lay beyond. "Well, it's been a long time ago and destiny didn't want the two of us to end up together. Life goes on and you shouldn't forget to live, right?"

"I … right. Yeah, you're right." Hannah didn't know what to say. This really wasn't the Neville she knew. Not even the Neville that she met during their last year at Hogwarts. That Neville had fought nail and tooth against the death eaters, not caring what would happen to himself, because of what they did to his parents. But this Neville, this Neville had suffered. He had suffered greatly but he moved on because he knew it was the only choice he could make. He didn't have the power to change destiny, so he accepted it and tried to live on. This Neville was much wiser than the Neville of her childhood days.

"Let's walk to Hogwarts, yeah?", Neville suggested. "You should be at the Hospital Wing at seven thirty, so Poppy can introduce you to the job before she leaves Hogwarts."

"Okay." Hannah nodded and they began walking towards the castle while talking about this and that.

"Soo …", Neville said as they finally reached Hogwarts and stopped at the entrance of the Hospital Wing. "I guess you know the way around. Poppy will tell you all you have to know and afterwards the headmaster will want to talk to you and …"

"And?", Hannah asked.

"And afterwards I'd be happy to treat you for a butterbeer at the Hog's Head", Neville said quickly and Hannah thought that his face might have turned a little red … but maybe she was only imagining things, this wasn't the old Neville after all, was it? "Or maybe the Three Broomsticks. The Hog's Head isn't exactly what I would call a … noble pub."

Hannah laughed. "I'd love to accompany you to the Hog's Head. And it's okay, really. I've been there often enough to know what it is like and to be honest, I do miss Ab a little bit. It would be nice talking to him again."

Neville grinned. "So it's a date? We'll meet at the Great Lake once you've finished your talk with the headmaster?"

"Sure thing!" She smiled at him as she opened the door that led to the Hospital Wing. "I'm looking forward to it."